This application is based on application No. H09-317232, filed in Japan, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to an image reproduction apparatus capable of accepting image data from a plurality of image sources, more specifically an image reproduction apparatus having an exclusive use mode in which the image reproduction apparatus, having received from one image source a signal for exclusively using the image reproduction apparatus, does not accept image data from the other image sources. The invention also relates to a method for controlling the image reproduction apparatus.
In recent years, there has been found, in corporate or other offices, use of a plurality of information processors (terminals) connected to one another via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) as shown in FIG. 8. Generally, a printer connected to such a network is enabled to print upon accepting print requests from a plurality of information processors via the network.
Such a printer used via the network has various problems because of its being shared among a plurality of users. For example, when a user desires to print on specialty paper such as OHP paper, the user moves to the printer, sets the paper to the printer, then returns to the information processor and operates the information processor to start the print. In such a process, there occurs a time lag from the setting of paper to the starting of print. During this period, if another user makes a print request, the set specialty paper would be fed by this print job and used for printing. Thus, there exist problems that the time and labor by the user who has set the specialty paper would be in vain, and that, for the other user, undesired paper would be printed.
To solve these problems, there has been an invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H08-166860. The printer of this invention has an exclusive use mode that is a mode in which the printer accepts a request only from a specific information processor. The user sets this printer to the exclusive use mode prior to the start of printing, temporarily occupying the printer for exclusive use and excluding print requests from the other information processors. Thus, occurrences of such trouble as described above are prevented.
However, the printer of the above invention has a problem that when the first user that has set the exclusive use mode forgets to cancel the exclusive use mode, it would be entirely impossible to print from any other information processor. Also, during the use of the printer in the exclusive use mode, when a request for a print job is issued from an information processor other than the information processor to which the exclusive use mode has been set, this print job is rejected, making it necessary to execute the procedure for starting print from the other information processor once again. In this case, when the exclusive use mode is prolonged, the other user may issue the print request again and again during the period, which would result in a waste of time and labor for the other user. Such a problem is opposite to the original purpose of the network printer intended for effective use of the printer by connecting the printer to a network and sharing it among a plurality of information processors.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image reproduction apparatus which is convenient to use for a plurality of users.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a network printer having an exclusive use mode, the printer being improved in use efficiency by preventing the exclusive use mode from being left without care, as well as a method for controlling a print job for the network printer.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling an image reproduction apparatus capable of accepting image data from a plurality of image sources.
To achieve the above objects, in the first aspect of the invention, an image reproduction apparatus reproduces an image based on image data sent from either one of a plurality of image sources. The image reproduction apparatus comprises a communication unit and a controller. The communication unit communicates with the plurality of image sources. The controller sets the image reproduction apparatus in an exclusive use mode for being exclusively used by one of the image sources when the communication unit receives a request for exclusive use from the one of the image sources, and notifies the one of the image sources of a request for canceling the exclusive use mode through the communication unit when a predetermined condition is maintained under the exclusive use mode.
In the second aspect of the invention, an image reproduction apparatus reproduces an image based on image data sent from either one of a plurality of image sources. The image reproduction apparatus comprises a communication unit and a controller. The communication unit communicates with the plurality of image sources. The controller sets the image reproduction apparatus in an exclusive use mode for being exclusively used by one of the image sources when the communication unit receives a request for exclusive use from the one of the image sources, and cancels the exclusive use mode automatically and compulsorily when a predetermined condition is maintained under the exclusive use mode.
In the third aspect of the invention, an image reproduction apparatus reproduces an image based on image data sent from either one of a plurality of image sources. The image reproduction apparatus comprises a communication unit and a controller. The communication unit communicates with the plurality of image sources. The controller sets the image reproduction apparatus in an exclusive use mode for being exclusively used by one of the image sources when the communication unit receives a request for exclusive use from the one of the image sources, and cancels the exclusive use mode when the communication unit receives a request for an image reproduction from the other one of the image sources under the exclusive use mode.
In the fourth aspect of the invention, an image reproduction apparatus reproduces an image based on image data sent from either one of a plurality of image sources. The image reproduction apparatus comprises a communication unit and a controller. The communication unit communicates with the plurality of image sources. The controller sets the image reproduction apparatus in an exclusive use mode for being exclusively used by one of the image sources when the communication unit receives a request for exclusive use from the one of the image sources, and cancels the exclusive use mode when the communication unit receives a request for an image reproduction from the other one of image sources under the exclusive use mode.
In the fifth aspect of the invention, a method controls an image reproduction apparatus for reproducing an image based on image data sent from either one of a plurality of image sources. The method comprises the steps of: (a) setting the image reproduction apparatus in an exclusive use mode for being exclusively used by one of the image sources when a request for exclusive use from the one of the image sources is received; and (b) notifying the one of the image sources of a request for canceling the exclusive use mode when a predetermined condition is maintained under the exclusive use mode.
In the sixth aspect of the invention, a method controls an image reproduction apparatus for reproducing an image based on image data sent from either one of a plurality of image sources. The method comprises the steps of: (a) setting the image reproduction apparatus in an exclusive use mode for being exclusively used by one of the image sources when a request for exclusive use from the one of the image sources is received; and (b) canceling the exclusive use mode automatically and compulsorily when a predetermined condition is maintained under the exclusive use mode.